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Join Epilogue and our friend Marcela Torres-Cervantes in welcoming Author Melissa Mogollon to discuss her debut novel Oye!About the Book
A coming-of-age comedy. A telenovela-worthy drama. A moving family saga. All in a phone call you won’t want to hang up on…
A young woman reckons with her rowdy, unpredictable family and the revelation of their long-buried history in this wildly inventive debut.
“Yes, hi, Mari. It’s me. I’m over my tantrum and finally calling you back. But you have to promise that you won’t say anything to Mom or Abue about this, okay? They’ll set the house on fire if they find out…”
Luciana is the baby of her large Colombian American family. And despite usually being relegated to the sidelines, she now finds herself the voice of reason in the middle of their unexpected crisis. Her older sister, Mari, is away at college and reduced to a mere listening ear on the other end of their many phone calls, so when South Florida residents are ordered to evacuate before a hurricane, it’s up to Luciana to deal with her eccentric grandmother, Abue, who’s refusing to leave. But the storm isn’t the only danger. Abue, normally glamorous and full of life, is given a crushing medical diagnosis. While she’d prefer to ignore it and focus on upholding her reputation and her looks instead, the news sets Abue on her own personal journey, with Luciana reluctantly along for the ride.
When Abue moves into Luciana’s bedroom, their complicated bond only intensifies. Luciana would rather be skating or sneaking out to meet girls, but Abue’s wild demands and unpredictable antics are a welcome distraction from Luciana’s misguided mother, absent sister, and uncertain future. Forced to step into the role of caretaker, translator, and keeper of the devastating secrets that Abue begins to share, Luciana suddenly finds herself center stage, facing down adulthood—and rising to the occasion.
As Luciana chronicles the events of her upended senior year over the phone, Oye feels like the most entertaining conversation you’ve ever eavesdropped on: a rollicking, heartfelt, and utterly unique novel by an author as original as she is insightful.
About the Author
Melissa Mogollon holds an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a BA from the George Washington University. Originally from Colombia and raised in Florida, she now teaches at a boarding school in Rhode Island, where she lives with her partner and dog. Oye is her first novel.
About our Co-Host
Marcela Torres-Cervantes (she/her/ella) is the Associate Director for the Carolina Latinx Center. She holds a Master of Education from the University of Georgia and a BA in Sociology from George Washington University where she met tonight’s esteemed author. Marcela is a lover of pop culture, black iced coffee, and storytelling. She is a first-generation Mexican American and lives in Durham with her mostly mute cat.
See you all on June 29 at 7pm! 🥳
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
109 E Franklin St. Suite 100, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, North Carolina 27514
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